M3/M4 [Spy Shots] 2014 BMW M3 (Impressions, SpyPhotos, Renderings)

[chonkoa]

Looks good.

 

[NarutoRamen]

Since the 3er coupe is changing to 4er coupe,and this is a M3 prototype which is in sedan form,but will only be offered as a coupe. Then what does it make it an M3,or an M4?

I get that. But it's still confusing as hell.

 

[Merc1]

A 4-Series is just plain dumb. Why would BMW confuse buyers on their most important model by playing BS marketing games? 3-Series has always been its own line, a complete line of cars. Why mess with success? Just plain stupid to re-badge the coupes.


M

 

[Mr Robert]

Only reason would be to follow up on Audi.

 

[Human]

I speculate a TwinPower Turbo with the 3rd turbo an electric one....AND ITS'S AN INLINE SIX!

 

[NarutoRamen]

Only reason would be to follow up on Audi.

Yeah. But AUDI's cars aren't as "iconic" as BMW's 3 and 5. THAT is the issue.

 

[klier]

I speculate a TwinPower Turbo with the 3rd turbo an electric one....AND ITS'S AN INLINE SIX!

All that V6 crap talk can be finally put to rest.
And a big LOL to the people who actually bought that fable.

Since the 3er coupe is changing to 4er coupe,and this is a M3 prototype which is in sedan form,but will only be offered as a coupe. Then what does it make it an M3,or an M4?

It's not that hard:

3er coupe will become 4er coupe.
M3 coupe will stay.
M3 sedan will go.
4er coupe will get a 4 door version (like the 6er)
4er 4 door will have an M version, M4
M3 and M4 will be the same car, the M4 the 4 door version of the M3.

BTW, M4 sounds extremely awkward. Like we're talking about a British highway or something.

 

[Top Secret]

So the 3 Series sedan becomes the M3 coupe and the 4 Series coupe becomes the M4 sedan?

I see nothing wrong with that.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

So let me get this straight. The standard foor door 3 Series is remaining the 3 Series but if you want a four door M version you get the M4? Yet the standard two door coupe is being called the 4 Series, but the M version will be called M3?

Makes sense.

BTW, M4 sounds extremely awkward. Like we're talking about a British highway or something.

The M3, M5 and M6 are all British motorways too. Why do they not sound awkward?

 

[klier]

So the 3 Series sedan becomes the M3 coupe and the 4 Series coupe becomes the M4 sedan?

I see nothing wrong with that.

No, 4 series coupe becomes M3 coupe and 4 series 4 door coupe (4er GC) will become M4.
I think so at least.


Betty, because I knew about the BMW M3 and BMW M5 when I was a kid, in a time I didn't know highways have names. M4 is new for BMW and sounds strange.
So Dutch highways are named after Audi models and English highways after BMW M.....I live in the wrong country

 

[chonkoa]

So let me get this straight. The standard foor door 3 Series is remaining the 3 Series but if you want a four door M version you get the M4? Yet the standard two door coupe is being called the 4 Series, but the M version will be called M3?

Makes sense.

This goes to show how confused and out-of-touch the guys at BMW marketing department truly are- this is a just a manifestation of that.
This clearly indicates the lack of critical thinking from my POV.

 

[picsoubmw]

If BMW decide to rename the next 3-series coupe and convertible in 4-series, you can be sure it will be the same for the M-model, the M3 will becomes M4.

After all, they already killed the Z3 and they used 1M badge for the e82 when they could have called the car M2, but they didn't.

But in first time, we should wait to see if the next 3-series coupe is still a 3-series since few year ago, before the launch of the e92, there was already rumor about the fact the car will be called 4-series.

 

[EMpower]

All that V6 crap talk can be finally put to rest.
And a big LOL to the people who actually bought that fable.




It's not that hard:

3er coupe will become 4er coupe.
M3 coupe will stay.
M3 sedan will go.
4er coupe will get a 4 door version (like the 6er)
4er 4 door will have an M version, M4
M3 and M4 will be the same car, the M4 the 4 door version of the M3.

BTW, M4 sounds extremely awkward. Like we're talking about a British highway or something.

I have read Scott say that there will be 3er GT with an M version at some point. Is that still the case or replaced with 4er gran Coupe M?

 

[Hein]

IMHO the car will probably be called the M4 which is very sad but it would be nonsensical to call it an M3 if it's a 4 series.

 

[Pagani]

Except that 3 and 4 mean exactly oposite things for regular models versus M-models.
Whether that is confusing to customers is unclear, depends on how people buy BMWs and other premium brands nowadays. For myself, a nomenclature makes no difference. I know, for example, when shopping for a Merc, what a C coupe versus an E coupe is versus their sedan counterparts or each other. If next couple of years they change the CL name to S-Coupe, that is not going to throw me off.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Betty, because I knew about the BMW M3 and BMW M5 when I was a kid, in a time I didn't know highways have names. M4 is new for BMW and sounds strange.
So Dutch highways are named after Audi models and English highways after BMW M.....I live in the wrong country

Might be easier to start liking Audi's rather than move.

This goes to show how confused and out-of-touch the guys at BMW marketing department truly are- this is a just a manifestation of that.
This clearly indicates the lack of critical thinking from my POV.

I was playing Devil's advocate a bit so I do understand it, but yes, I think it's going to cause confusion to the casual car fan. But, I guess having all the coupes even numbers and the 3 Series coupe being an odd number will also cause confusion.

If BMW decide to rename the next 3-series coupe and convertible in 4-series, you can be sure it will be the same for the M-model, the M3 will becomes M4.

After all, they already killed the Z3 and they used 1M badge for the e82 when they could have called the car M2, but they didn't.

But in first time, we should wait to see if the next 3-series coupe is still a 3-series since few year ago, before the launch of the e92, there was already rumor about the fact the car will be called 4-series.

The M3 is staying the M3 apparently. It's the most well known M car so it can't change.

 

[SKY]

Bah... All a line of cars being badged 4er and then the M version is the M3. Cheap marketing job IMO. No matter how iconic is the M3 moniker, if you want it that way, call the rest of the cars 3er.

 

[SCOTT27]

If you compare BMWi and BMWM they are the sub-brands of BMW. Now with BMWi what you get is cars that are not based upon BMW's hence the i3 is not a 3er.
This is something we are investigating for M.
Eventually M will offer something that will not be featured within the regular BMW line-up.
But when you look at BMW M - Every car is made to drive different and feel different from the original car it is based on. There is a specific formula that defines M. So our thinking is that with the M sub-brand we can further seperate the M's from the core cars and keep the original terminology.

So the next M3 family will consist of Coupe and Cabrio and Gran Coupe. However we are really getting close to finally deciding on since the new M-boss has the latest C63 AMG T-modell for evaluation , the very first M3 Touring.

 

[chonkoa]

IMHO the car will probably be called the M4 which is very sad but it would be nonsensical to call it an M3 if it's a 4 series.

ahem...think E90 M3...
Problem is there is no 4 series yet, and there is a well established 3 series that quite frankly is BMWs' moniker.

 

[ACE]

No we will have the 4er Gran Coupe.

Is it still only due in 2016 like you said in a previous thread? If so, what chonkoa said is true until 2016.